Brand new California-based startup, Humble Motors has announced an idea to introduce “the world’s first solar-powered SUVs”.
Several images of a four-door, five-seat crossover/SUV were released by the company. Dubbed the Humble One, the new electric SUV is expected to have a range of 500 miles (800 km) and comfortably fit four people, according to the press release.
According to Humble Motors, the Humble One will be able to achieve such a range thanks to the 82.35 square feet of highly efficient solar cells found on the roof and windows that will allow the vehicle replenish up to 60 miles (97 km) of range during the day. The Humble One will also be capable of the AC and DC charging.
The photovoltaic cells that replace the glass roof are just the beginning of the Humble One’s efficiency. The new EVs weight and aerodynamic shape also play a key factor.
The company is currently accepting refundable and non-binding reservations of $300 USD according to its website. The $300 secures you a place in line but it may be a while before receiving your vehicle as production isn’t expected to begin until 2024 and customer deliveries in 2025 at the earliest.
These impressive specs of course have resulted in a hefty price tag as the final price of the base version Humble One will be $109,000 before taxes. With this kind of price tag, Humble is looking to directly compete with manufacturers like Tesla, Lucid, and Rivian, and according to the company, they already have more than $20 million in reserved pre-orders: “The Humble One has its fans — it has more than $20 million in reserved pre-orders, according to Alex Bogicevic, Humble’s engineering lead and a former executive for Ford. And its US reservations increased 426% last month at a time that other electric vehicle overall US sales only grew by 12%.”